Page 83 of Bitter Secrets

Grief had taken a back seat since Roth forced his way into her life, but hearing the genuine sympathy in Penelope’s voice made her throat thicken. She looked away before she lost it. “Thank you.”

“I was in the hospital, so I didn’t—"

“Hospital? Why? What happened?”

Penelope’s expression melted. “I finally got my baby girl.”

She eyed Penelope’s slim form with a frown. “You just had a baby?”

Penelope dove for her phone. “She’s the most adorable thing you’ve ever seen. You have to stop by before you leave.”

As Penelope swiped through pictures, a cheese tray arrived along with toasted pita bread, hummus, and salads. She immediately reached for the pita bread and took a bite as Penelope held up her phone. Two red-haired boys with missing teeth grinned at the camera in their school uniforms.

“They’re so cute. Are they twins?”

“Just a year apart. Teddy and Zach. Mariah’s my third.” Penelope swiped to the next photo, which showed a baby with dark eyes and hair. “She takes after her father. Isn’t she beautiful?” Penelope didn’t give her time to answer, but clasped her chest dramatically. “I’m trying to persuade Frederick into having one more. Two boys, two girls would be ideal, don’t you think?”

“Uh, sure.”

Penelope’s smile faded. “Look at me, talking about whether to have another baby while you’ve been through so much.”

When Penelope grasped her arm again, she was forcefully reminded how tactile her friend had always been. How long had it been since someone held her hand while they talked to her? She downed more of her drink to deaden her insides.

“I can’t imagine how hard it’s been dealing with your father’s passing and now this… It’s a bittersweet time, isn’t it?”

She averted her face. “Don’t do this, Penny. I’m hanging on by a thread.”

Penelope didn’t listen to her and gave her a firm side hug.

“Me and the girls tried to call, but none of us could get through. We know how chaotic it must have been during that time, and none of us could make it for one reason or another. If I wasn’t so far along in my pregnancy, I would have come to the funeral. I know you’ve never been close to your sisters and that crowd…” Penelope tightened her hold. “I wish I could have been there for you.”

She blinked rapidly. “I’m okay.”

Penelope pressed her cheek to hers. “Yes, you are. You’ve always been so strong.”

She let out a ragged laugh. “I don’t know about that.”

“Your dad knew it. It’s why he was so hard on you. He scared me to death, but you stood up to him even when Colette and Ariana never dared. You’ve always been a rebel.”

Her brows rose as she tapped the corners of her eyes, so her makeup wouldn’t run. “Rebel?Me?”

“You always had your own mind. Look at the things you’ve done!” Penelope gave her a mischievous wink. “You were the rebel, and I was the sweet one. That’s why Daddy wouldn’t let us go to the same boarding school.” Penelope paused before she ventured, “Daddy says you and Maximus made up before the end.”

She nodded.

“I’m glad.” Penelope rubbed her back in a motherly fashion for a minute to give her time to compose herself before she said, “Shelly, Kira, and Clara called me this morning.”

“Why? What happened?”

Penelope gaped at her. “You’re not serious, are you?”

“What?”

Penelope put her hands on hips. “You think you can marry James Rothagainand no one will hear about it?”

“Well, the announcement ran in the New York papers and some bloggers picked up the story and ran with it. Daiyu made the dress, which is whyVoguewants to do a spread…”

Penelope held up both hands. “No, Jas,everyoneis talking about it, not just in New York and some American blogs. It’s headline news in Singapore, Tokyo, Dubai, Zurich, Frankfurt, Shanghai, Moscow…” Penelope threw up her hands. “Most of our husbands knew about it before us!”

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